Summary:
The Riverside School District in Arkansas is home to two elementary schools, Riverside West Elementary School and Riverside East Elementary School, both serving grades PK through 6, and the district itself ranks in the 50th percentile statewide.
These two schools present a stark contrast in performance and resources. Riverside West Elementary School is the district's standout, with 300 students and a 3-star rating (52nd percentile). It excels in English Language Arts (49.7% proficient) and Science (53.2% proficient), both well above state averages. However, it has a notable weakness in 5th-grade Mathematics, where only 10.2% of students are proficient. In contrast, Riverside East Elementary School is smaller (147 students) and faces greater challenges, earning a 1-star rating (30th percentile). Despite spending significantly more per student ($14,355 vs. $10,182) and having a slightly better student-teacher ratio (13:1 vs. 13.8:1), its academic outcomes are much lower, with only 27.9% proficiency in English Language Arts and 35.3% in Science.
A key takeaway is that Mathematics is a district-wide struggle, with both schools scoring far below the state average of 44.1% proficiency (West: 27.4%, East: 27.9%). Interestingly, Riverside East Elementary School shows pockets of success, such as 5th graders achieving 50% proficiency in English Language Arts and 6th graders nearly matching the state average in Mathematics (44.4%). This inconsistency suggests that while individual teachers or cohorts can succeed, the school lacks a consistent system for ensuring all students achieve proficiency. For parents, this means Riverside West offers stronger overall academics, while Riverside East requires targeted support, particularly in math, despite higher per-student spending.
Thank you for your feedback!